Disney A Marathon For Real In January

It Won't Just Be Tourists Rushing Through. Top Runners Will Compete For A Purse Of $125,000 Or More.

April 13, 1993|By George Diaz of The Sentinel Staff

Participants in the Walt Disney World Marathon will attempt what few tourists dare: three theme parks in one day.

A world-class field is expected to join the masses for a 26.2-mile run through Disney property on Jan. 16, 1994, marking Orlando's inaugural effort to become a viable city for the elite class of long-distance runners.

A purse totalling between $125,000 and $150,000 immediately puts Orlando among the top marathons, placing it the fifth-highest in the United States and eighth in the world.

''We knew if it was to be done, it needed to be done world-class,'' race director Jon Hughes said. ''There are some real naturals tied in with Walt Disney World.''

They include the colorful landscapes of Epcot Center, Disney-MGM Studios and Walt Disney World. Although a course has not been set, a Disney representative said that the three parks and all of the Disney resorts will be incorporated into the race.

The race is tentatively set to begin at 6 a.m. in the World Showcase in Epcot Center, where runners will travel through Canada, Norway, France, Morocco and Japan, among other countries. They may continue into Main Street USA on Walt Disney World, if officials can work out the logistics of keeping slower runners from bumping into tourists later in the day.

Fred Lebow, founder and race director of the New York City Marathon, will be the honorary chairman of the event.

The entry fee is $50, although Disney is waiving the charge to anyone who stays on its property during that weekend.